An Ode to Fruit Cart Vendors: In Photos

If you spend any time driving around Los Angeles (yeah, that's a joke; like you have a choice), you're doubtless familiar with the sudden neighborhood rainbows that comprise the fruit cart vendors found on many sidewalks and at many street intersections around this town. The vendors set up shop, which usually means not only a cart loaded with gorgeous fresh fruit, but often umbrellas that are just as colorful as the pineapple and mango, the watermelon and coconut, the jicama and cucumber and papaya that are stacked like jigsawed produce sections. If you stop, someone will slice your fruit to order, into a little (or big) plastic bag, sprinkle the contents with salted chile powder and squeeze a halved lime or two over the fruit. A plastic fork. A perfect breakfast.